HMAT A34 Persic
From Our Contribution
 simplonpc.co.uk | |
| History | |
|---|---|
| Name |
HMAT A34 Persic |
| Builder/Built | 1899 Harland & Wolff of Belfast |
| Type | SS Troopship |
| Displacement | 12,042 tons |
| Speed | 13.5 knots |
Contents
Remarks
Owned by the Oceanic SN Co Ltd, of Liverpool (White Star Line). It was leased to the Commonwealth until 8 Nov 1917. The Persic had previously carried troops to the Boer War, and in 1900 returned sick Australian soldiers from South Africa to Australia.
Fitted out to carry 40 Officers and 520 troops or 491 horses. Persic undertook 6 voyages from Australia carrying troops. Departed Sydney 21 Dec 1914 for Alexandria carrying the 5th Light Horse Regiment as part of the second convoy. On 10 Aug 1915 she from Melbourne with reinforcements for the 4th Light Horse Regiment, and on 18 Nov 1915 from Sydney with the 5th Field Artillery Brigade. On 3 Jun 1916 she sailed from Melbourne, and on 22 Dec 1916 with reinforcements for the 4th Light Horse Regiment, calling in at Fremantle to allow Medical personnel to board. On 29 Aug 1917 she carried Medical officers from Melbourne to England, and although no longer under Australian control (having been transferred to the British Admiralty on 8 Nov 1917), with Medical staff from Sydney on 21 Mar 1918.
In September 1918 she was torpedoed off Sicily, but reached port safely. Released back to her owners in 1920, she suffered unrepairable engine wear in 1926 and in July 1927 was sent to the Netherlands to be broken up.
Soldiers carried
Melbourne to Alexandria 22 November - 21 December 1915
Fremantle to Devonport 29 December 1916 - 3 March 1917
Left Melbourne 22 Dec 1916 with 5th Division Ammunition Sub Park then known as 3rd Auxiliary Mechanical Transport Company, aboard
- David Forbes Abernethy
- Albert William Barratt
- Eric Horace Bell
- Clement Wilder Benporath Transport duty
- John Humphrey Coyle
- † George Mouatt Dow
- George Henry Holroyd
- Charles John Mitchell
- Albert Thomas Myers
- Alfred Tennyson Needham
- Robert George Orrock
- Albert Ernest Osborne
- William Percival Nairn
- Alfred Tennyson Needham
- Charles Edward Parkin
- Nicholas Joseph Rosekelly
- Joseph William Smith
- † Stephen Hubert Christian (Hughie) Wallace
- Charles Alexander Wann
- Arthur Werndly
- Alan Harry Wilkinson arrived in the district post WW1